Rebreather Weekend

[Vtach]

They take all of the YBOD's that have been involved in accidents and resell them    OK. not very constructive, but maybe sort of funny?   

Rebreathers are definitely cool...and expensive.   The "O", which I think stands for "Obscene Expensive", is getting pummeled in the price category with help from the weak dollar.  (Matt, I think that is the fault of the current administration :-*)   

Someday, when I win the lottery, I'll be able to spend $18,000 on a dive toy...

Dean, can you dive a breather with your bad back?

Don't forget there is a rebreather section of WIscuba.
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Yeah, breathers are expensive but so is the helium that we have been blowing to the atmosphere along with the long term collection of open circuit stuff .  I am pretty interested in rebreathers but it seems so difficult to find any place locally that we can get out and try the difference between products and setups.  We are pretty much left with rebreather forums and word of mouth.  I have a real problem with going out and taking a rebreather course that will certify me as competent to only dive one rebreather before purchasing one.  To me that just seems to be a waste of money unless you have a unit available to dive frequently.  Even with renting a unit, I don't think you would be able to reasonably get enough time to master the skills to make it worthwhile.

So far it seems that the RB market is getting more competition every year and that is definitely a good thing for the consumer in the long run.  Hopefully this will cause a trend of decreasing cost on RB's.  I know that Closed Circuit Research (Ouroboros) is offering an RB called the Sentinel that will be capable of 300 ft dives at a reduced cost over the Ouroboros.  I also heard that Poseidon will be offering the CIS lunar MkVI.  Sounds like it will be reasonable but only for recreational use.

I'm not buying tomorrow so I can afford to "wait and see", but I would like to be seriously planning it within the next year or so. >